In the boating industry, a typical method of installation of a seat assembly in boats or other watercraft is to first manufacture and assemble the seat assembly in its entirety at a supplier's facility. The entire seat assembly, as assembled, is then shipped to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or distributor's facility where the seat assembly is subsequently mounted to the watercraft.
In such a situation, shipping the entire seat assembly in its fully-assembled form is not only expensive, but inefficient, particularly considering the amount of space that is wasted when an entire assembly is shipped. However, there is also difficulty in shipping the seat assembly components separately. Typically, the seat assembly comprises several components including large and small pieces that can be lost or damaged and that require excessive assembly time at the OEM's facility. In other words, it is generally more efficient for a company in the business of making boat seats to assemble the seat assembly than it is for the OEM purchasing the seat assembly.
As a result, there is a need in the boating industry to fabricate the seat assembly in such a manner as to reduce the shipping expense without creating additional hardships in the final assembly of the seat assembly.